Self-indexing ledger.



No. 802,758. PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905. H. H. HERRICK.

SELF INDBXING LEDGER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9.1905.

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UNTTET) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed June 9, 1905- Serial No. 264,473.

To all 1117110777, it 'mzt l concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY H. HERRIOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Owatonna, in the county of Steele, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Indexing Ledgers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to indexing devices for ledgcrs or other account-books, and has for its object to provide a construction of leaves for such books by which the leaves of a subdivision of the ledger or account-book, comprising a considerable number of successive leaves, are self-indexing-that is to say, carries the names of the individuals to whose accounts the several leaves are devoted in such arrangement that all the names may be seen at once and the account of any particular individual may be readily turned to.

WVith this object in view the invention consists in. the construction of leaf and the combination of leaves, as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Briefly describing the several views of the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a complete subdivision of the account-book or ledger, comprising three groups of four leaves each. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper portion of the first group of leaves. Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of the second and third groups of leaves.

Referring to the drawings, A, B, and C represent, respectively, three groups of leaves forming one subdivision of the ledger. The leaves of group A are cut away at their upper edges to leave index tabs or projections a, a a, and a, respectively, on the successive leaves of the group, these tabs or projections extending laterally from the left edge of the page about onethird across the page, the tabs or projections of the successive leaves of the group being each extended above the tab or projection of the preceding page to allow space for the entry of a name. The leaves of group B are similarly cut away to form tabs or projections 5, W, I), and I), respectively, on the successive leaves ofthe group; but these index tabs or pro ections extend from the left edge of the page two thirds of the distance across the page. The index tabs or projections on successive leaves of group B, like the tabs or projections of group A, are each extended above the tab or projection of the preceding page a distance sufficient for the entry of a name.

The leaves of group C are not cut away, their index tabs or projections c, 0 c, and 0 extending the full width of the page, the index tabs or projections of successive leaves of this group, like those of the other two groups, extending above the index tab or projection of the preceding leaf a distance suflicient to afford space for the entry of a name.

In the drawings, which represent a ledger of moderate size, three groups, A, B, and 0, each comprise four leaves making subdivision of twelve leaves in all. The namespaces of group A are numbered from 1 to 4, those of group B are numbered from 5 to 8, and those of group C are numbered from '9 to 12. Each leaf is numbered on its right-hand margin to correspend with. the number on. its index-tab, and for convenience, the marginal numbers of successive leaves are located at successivelyincreasing distances from the upper edge of the leaf, and preceding leaves are cut away or recessed, as shown at (1, so as to expose the marginal numbers of the succeeding leaves. Thus the first leaf of group A has eleven recesses d, the second leaf ten recesses, and so 011 down to the last leaf of group C, which is not recessed.

The index-tabs of group A of the second subdivision of the ledger will be numbered from 13 to 16, of group B from 17 to 20, and of group C from 21 to 24:, and so 011 with the tabs of the groups of suecessive subdivisions, it being understood that the marginal number of each page corresponds with the number on its index-tab.

The ledger-leaves may be ruled as desired. In the use of the ledger described the name of the individual whose account is to be kept is entered in one of the numbered spaces of one of the tabs or projections, the names being preferably alphabetically arranged. When it is desired to examine or make entries on the account of any individual, the name is readily found, and the number of the namespace 011 which it is found indicates the number of the page on which it is to be found. By means of the marginal numbers the proper page may be readily turned to.

It will of course be understood that the number of groups in a subdivision and the number of leaves in a grouo may be varied according to the size of the ledgelz lf there are four groups in a subdivision, the index tabs or projections of the several groups Will extend, respectively, one-fourth, one-half, threefourths the Width of the leaf, the index tabs or projections of the last group extending the entire width of the leaf. So if there are six groups the index tabs or projections Will extend, respectively, one-sixth, onethird,onehalf, two-thirds, and five-sixths the Width of the leaf, the tabs or projections of the last group, as in other cases, extending the entire Width of the leaf.

By the construction and arrangement of the index tabs or projections above de scribed the cutting away of the leaves is reduced to a minimum and it is not necessary to cut away the leaves of the last group at all. At the same time it is possible to see at a glance the names of all the individuals Whose accounts are to be found on the pages of any one subdivision.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In an account-book, a subdivision comprising a number of leaves divided into groups, each leaf having at its upper edge an upwardly projecting tab having a blank space of suflicient size for the entry of a name, the tab, and the margin of the leaf being provided With identical index-symbols, the index-tabs of each group being of the same Width and those of successive leaves of each group being of successively-increased height, and the Widths of the tabs of successive groups being of successively-increased Width.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY H. HERRICK.

Vitnesses:

A. J. BOSSHARD, EUGENE E1012. 

